How do you say goodbye?
by hwy417
Summary: Epilogue up for all you people who's been waiting
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Higher Ground characters. I'm just playing with them.   
  
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This is right before the school year starts. The Cliffhangers are at school a couple of days before so they can get settled in. Right now, they are all outside on the field.  
  
"It's such a nice day...I can't believe we have class again tommorow." Juliette looked to the sky, and sighed. It was a perfect day, and she wanted to spend her last 24 hours worry free. She had gone home to her mother, and it wasn't the best summer ever. Juliette had stood up to her mother, and told her that she didn't want to be controlled by her. Mrs. Smithe, having been married to her 6th husband now, had ignored her daughter the whole summer. Juliette thought it was better than being controlled all the time.  
  
"Hey Queenie, you forgot to mention group discussions-" Shelby yelled out right beside her, with her eyes closed. It had been a long flight from Miami. Her mother had insisted on taking her and Jess on a little family vacation to make up for what she had missed, and Walt. Of course Shelby had resisted, but she finally decided to go on the last minute. Now that she had though about it, it had been worth all the stupid hours in the plane.   
  
"-and buddy hikes, detentions, and kitchen duties." Daisy finished for Shelby. Daisy's summer was boring. Her father had insisted her to come home, but left her everyday at home alone. Since Daisy's mother had passed away, Mr. Lipenowsky had to work double time to pay for Daisy's schooling. Daisy was thankful that he at least was sober now.   
  
The guys were playing soccer nearby, 2 on 2, with Ezra and Auggie on one team, and Scott and David on the other. It wasn't much of a game, but the Cliffhangers were the first group to come back to Horizon, so there was no one else. Auggie scored a goal, and Juliette let out a cheer.  
  
"God, Queenie. Can't you be quiet? Someone's trying to sleep here!"  
  
"Sorry your sleepiness. It's not my fault that my boyfriend's team is beating your boyfriend's team by 4 points!"  
  
"What?!" At this, Shelby woke up, and started cheering Scott on. Juliette, not being outdone by Shelby, started cheering for Auggie. Daisy watched on, amused by the two girls trying to outdo each other. The game ended in a tie when Peter came up to Auggie.  
  
"Auggie? Your mom's on the line!" Peter headed back to the building.  
  
Auggie jogged over to Juliette at first, gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, and jogged inside, to the phone.  
  
"Augusto?" Mrs. Ciceros' voice came on the line.  
  
"Si mam its me."  
  
Mrs. Ciceros sighed. She didn't know how to break it to her younger son.  
  
"Mam? What's wrong?"  
  
"Augusto..your..your pap has...cancer..liver cancer to be exact. The doctors discovered it early, so your pap has a large chance of living if he gets an operation right away."  
  
"Really? Pap's going to be alright...right?"  
  
"Yes Augusto..but there's one thing. The operation's very expensive. More than your pap and I can handle. I'm sorry, but we're going to have to take you out of Horizon."  
  
Auggie felt if the world around him had fallen away. Away from Horizon? Away from all his friends, especially Juliette?  
  
"August? Are you alright?"  
  
"Sort of. Mam, when are you going to pick me up?:"  
  
"In about a month. I understand you don't want to leave..Your father and I have enough money for only a month. Would that be enough to say goodbye?"  
  
"Yes Mam. I have to go now. I'll call you later."  
  
"Take care Augusto. I'm sorry."  
  
Auggie hung up the phone and turned around. Peter was there with a concerned look. He started to say something, but Auggie brushed past him. He wanted to be alone.   
  
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What do you think? Do you think I should continue? Please r/r and tell me! 


	2. Chapter 2

How do you say goodbye?  
  
Disclaimer: All the characters except Lily and Nicole Tan are the TV station's. I own Lily and Nicole.  
  
Chapter 2  
  
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Auggie walked past Peter without noticing him. Peter was about to call after him, but knew better. He had heard Auggie's side of the line, and got some parts of the conversation, but he didn't know what had upset Auggie so much. Usually, August Cicceros was a really easy going guy. Worried, he sighed and was about to go outside when the phone rang. Peter picked it up.  
  
"Hello? May I talk to Mr. Peter Scarbrow please?" A woman's voice came on the line.  
  
"This is Peter Scarbrow speaking here."  
  
"Yes, hello. I'm Lily Tan, Nicole's mother. We spoke over the phone last week."  
  
"Oh yes. I remember now, Mrs. Tan. When will Nicole be arriving?"  
  
"I am about to leave the house right now. From Ottawa, I'm guessing the flight takes about 6 or 7 hours, including the time spent waiting. It will be pretty late when we arrive, so I will bring her to Mount Horizon in the morning. Would that be okay?"  
  
"Yes, Mrs. Tan. Did you fill out the papers I faxed you?"  
  
"Yes. I'm going to have to leave now, or else we'll miss our flight. I will see you tommorow, Mr. Scarbrow."  
  
"See you tommorow." With that Peter hung up. He massaged his temples. He had forgotten totally about the new student. There was so much to do in one day. Just then, his new wife, Sophie came in.  
  
"What's wrong mountain man? Lots of work?" She asked teasingly.  
  
"Oh you won't belive this.." Peter told her about Nicole, and all the preparations that they had to do.   
  
"What is her, uh, problem?"  
  
"Umm...lets see..I think it was drugs. Oh ya, and she was charged with having a firearm."  
  
"Oh. Well, not the Riverwatchers. Tara Watson's still adjusting. We should leave her alone for a while."  
  
"Well, since Kat's gone, we can put her in the Cliffhangers. I think she'll fit in alright."  
  
"Ok, Peter. We're going to have to call a group meeting after dinner. You call them. I nearly got my head bitten off by suggesting something to do as a group."  
  
Peter sighed. It was such a long day.  
  
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Auggie headed towards the boy's dorm, and sat down on his bed. The four guys decided they would all stay at Horizon this summer, and had spent a long 2 months enduring David's pranks, Ezra's talks about Shakespeare, and Peter's group hikes. It was long, but fun. He had gotten to know the guys a lot better. David was just craving for attention that his father couldn't give him. Scott and Ezra were the most loyal friends he had met. Auggie couldn't imagine life without the guys. Life without the guys..or the whole group..just thinking about it was torture. There was about an hour left until dinner. Auggie decided he would take a nap to take his mind off of everything.  
  
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Juliette watched the door to the dining room. Auggie wasn't anywhere in sight. In fact, no one had seen him since the call from his mom came. During dinner, Juliette didn't eat a single bite. Daisy, noticing this, tried to reassure her that Auggie was alright.  
  
"Hey Jules. Auggie's probably fine, don't worry. And eat your food, because Peter's going to kill you."   
  
"Its alright Daisy. I'm really not hungry, I don't feel like eating. I'm going to go see if Auggie's alright. See you." Juliette stood up and left the dining room. Daisy stared after her, and shoook her head.   
  
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Juliette stepped carefully into the boy's dorm. She would be dead if she was caught inside there. As she suspected, Auggie was fast asleep under his covers. Juliette shook Auggie gently awake.   
  
"Hey there sleeping prince. Wake up."  
  
"Huh? Oh, hey there Twig. You know, Peter's going to kill you if he finds you in here." Auggie commented sleepily.  
  
"I'll get out once you're awake and had some dinner. It's almost over, you know."  
  
"What? I'm going, definetly. Was there anything good on the menu today?"  
  
"Just the usual globs of mystery stuff. Come on, let's go." Juliette dragged Auggie out of the bed, and they started walking towards the dining hall, hand in hand. Juliette knew something was wrong-big time, but she knew better than to prod him. Auggie was obviously really upset.  
  
After dinner, Sophie called an emergency meeting of the Cliffhangers.  
  
"Everyone is expected to come, it won't last long." Sophie said firmly to the Cliffhangers, and looked around.  
  
"It's our last day free. Can't we spend it whatever way we like?" David whined to Sophie.  
  
"You sound like a prisoner, David. It's just school. I'll see all you guys at the meeting."  
  
"School is prison." David muttered under his breath. Meanwhile, Juliette was really getting worried. Auggie usually ate whatever came on the menu, and ate it hungrily. Today, he was just playing with his food. A couple of other groups had arrived that afternoon, so the dining hall was pretty loud. Seeing that everyone else were in their own conversation and ignoring them, Juliette decided to talk to Auggie.  
  
"Hey, Augusto. Is there something wrong?" Juliette asked carefully.  
  
"I wonder why all the groups didn't come at the same time. We came yesterday night, the others came today, and the rest are coming at staggered times." Auggie tried his best to change the conversation to a less painful topic.  
  
"Its impossible for the counselors if all the students come at the same time. Auggie, don't change the subject. I know there's something wrong. Can't you tell me?" Auggie couldn't look into Juliette's warm eyes. He knew in a month, he'd have to leave them. Sighing, he decided to tell Jules. They never kept anything from each other.  
  
"Twig..listen for a minute. Don't interrupt me, ok? I want to get this over with." And with that, everything came out-his father's illness, how he had to leave Horizon for a month, and how he didn't want to leave her. Juliette was silent for a moment.   
  
"Auggie, have you told Peter or Sophie?" Auggie shook his head. He was too afraid to look into Juliette's eyes. "Auggie, look at me." She forced his chin up to meet her eyes. "I want you to tell Peter right away. He might be able to help you. You should tell them right after the group meeting. Auggie, this isn't something to keep secret." Auggie felt a rush of gratitude to Juliette. He had thought that Juliette would go into tears, or something awful. He was so thankful that she was there with him, and for the advice. He would tell Peter afterwards.  
  
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At the meeting, Peter broke the news to the Cliffhangers.  
  
"Ok, we have a new student coming tommorow. Her name is Nicole Tan, and I need someone to be her buddy to guide her around, telling her about the facilities and stuff. Who's up for this?" Usually, Juliette's hand would have been up, but she was lost in another world. Peter was slightly worried, but finding a buddy for Nicole was much more important. "Shelby? Would you be her guide? Please?" Shelby nodded her consent. "This meeting is done. You guys can do anything you want for the rest of the night. Remember, we have classes tommorow morning, so sleep early." The Cliffhangers grumbled, and filed out of the room, with Sophie behind them. Everyone was gone...except for Auggie.  
  
"Hey, uh Peter. Can I talk to you for a sec?" Auggie sounded slightly nervous.   
  
"Sure, Aug. What's the matter?"   
  
"Ok...my dad..uh..he has liver cancer..he's going to have to get an operation." At this Peter sat up in alarm.   
  
"I'm so sorry Auggie. Is he alright?"  
  
"Ya..the doctors found the cancer cells early, so if he gets an operation, he's going to be alright. But, the thing is, uh, the operation's really expensive. My parents don't have enough money to support me and my dad. My mom's going to take me out of Horizon in a month." Peter felt relieved..then surprised. So this was what the phone conversation was all about. Poor kid. He held this all in for a while. Then, the solution came to him, as easy as pie.  
  
"Auggie, no worries. My father, when he passed away, he left me a large sum of money. I'm using that for scholarships for kids to come to Horizon. Since you only have one year left at Horizon, I can easily give you the scholarship for the rest of the year." Auggie couldn't believe it.   
  
"Really? Wow, thanks Peter. You're the best. I'd better call my parents in the morning. Thanks again!" He felt like he was walking on clouds. This couldn't be happening. He hurried to find Juliette and tell her the good news.  
  
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That night, everyone knew what Auggie's phone conversation was about, and what Peter did for him. Auggie was so happy. Everyone was sleeping, and Auggie was just about to drift off too. He thought about his hectic day, and his conversation with Peter. It was so hard to get it out, but now, he was glad he got it out. His mom and dad would be so happy. Now, if only his dad's operation would go fine..Auggie sat up quickly, throwing his cover off. Ezra mumbled somthing about being quiet, but he ignored him. His dad had cancer. The full meaning didn't impact him until then. All his happiness ebbed away. He knew what it meant if they had cancer. Miguel, a distant relative, had had cancer. The doctors found it early, but it was still a painful experience for him. He had to go through chemotherapy, and almost didn't make it. His dad was older, and weaker than when Miguel had cancer. Auggie suddenly missed his dad. He hadn't seen him for a whole summer, and didn't realize how much he missed him until now. Thinking for a few moments, he made his decision, and went to sleep. He would tell the others tommorow.  
  
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Do you like it? It's not the best. I tried to bring Nicole in this chapter, but it would have been too long. I'll bring her in the next chapter. Please r/r! thanx! 


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: It's the usual, I don't own anyone, except Nicole and her mum.  
  
Note: Sorry it took so long to get up, but it was kinda depressing the number of reviews I got. Sorry for being picky, but ya. I only got one. Thanks to the person who sent it. I know last chapter was bad, but I needed that to keep the story going. So PLZ r/r. If you guys don't like it, just tell me, k? thanx~ Hwy 417*  
  
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"Nicole! Nicole hon! You've got to wake up. We have to go to Horizon by nine." Lily Tan woke her daughter up. The cheap motel room had been pretty cold, and it was harder to get the teen out of the warm bed.  
  
"Mom! It's 7! I can shower and get ready in an hour!" Nicole complained sleepily. She hadn't gotten much sleep after the long plane ride. The jet lag kept her awake until 2 a.m., and the bumpy mattress hadn't helped much either.   
  
"The car ride takes an hour. Get up, Nicole. I'll make you hot chocolate with your breakfast if you wake up now." Her mother's voice was kind, but firm. If she didn't get out now, things were going to get ugly. Nicole got up, and dragged her feet over to the washroom. It was going to be a long day.  
  
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Auggie woke up with a sense of dread in his stomach. He didn't realize what was wrong, until he remembered yesterday. It was 7 a.m. The guys were all asleep. Auggie got up, and went to the shower. He needed to think about how he was going to break it to everyone. As he walked to the washroom, he tripped over the clear tape that was on the door way. Rubbing his knee, he vowed to take revenge on David before he left. It was going to be a long day.  
  
Before breakfast, Auggie went to Peter's office. Peter was there, reading the newspaper, and drinking coffee. When Auggie came in, he looked up and gave him a nod.  
  
"Hey Aug. Up early, eh? Do you want to call your parents about the scholarship?" Auggie shuffled a bit.   
  
"Ya. Can I use your phone?" Peter nodded. Auggie punched in the numbers. He spoke fast Spanish, and talked for a long time. When he hung up, Peter looked at him and waited for an answer.  
  
"Um, Peter, I got to talk to you about something. I decided to go back home..for a while. I found out that I really missed my dad. I haven't seen him for a while. If it's okay with you, I just want to go back for a couple of months. Since my dad's condition isn't serious, I'll just stay with him when he really needs me. My parents think its fine. Is it okay with you?"   
  
Peter thought for a minute. It wasn't that hard of a request. He nodded his consent to Auggie.   
  
"Alright Augusto. Did you arrange everything with your mother?"  
  
"Yup. The only thing is, I'm leaving next week. Next thursday at 7 p.m. I'll be back in late December or early January.   
  
We'll phone you to tell you when I'll be coming back."  
  
"Okay." Peter looked at his watch. "You have free time until breakfast, I guess Auggie. Wake the guys up at 8. I hate having to walk to your cabins to just wake you lazy people up." Peter looked up at smiled at Auggie. Auggie smiled back, but Peter noticed something was holding him back.   
  
"Hey Peter?"   
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Can you not tell the others yet? I want to tell them privately, ok?"  
  
"Done, man. My lips are sealed." Auggie walked out of the office.  
  
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When Auggie went back in to the cabin, the guys were still fast asleep. Since he needed something to cheer him up a little, he took markers and drew all over David's face. Auggie sat back, and waited for eight o'clock to come around.  
  
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"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" (You can pretty much guess who that is)  
  
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After breakfast, Peter gathered all the cliffhangers in the lounge. Nicole was there with all her stuff. Her face was tense, and she was fiddling with the handle on her bag. Her mother had left her a little while ago to go back to Ottawa for a business deal. Nicole didn't know what to expect. As each of the Cliffhangers entered, they eyed her with curiosity. The tall red haired guy made a face at her. He had a big green streak across his cheek. Nicole didn't know either to smile or frown. Finally Peter spoke up.  
  
"Ok, Cliffhangers, this is your newest member, Nicole. Nicole, this is Juliette, Scott, Shelby, Augusto-Auggie for short, David, and lastly, Ezra. Um...Shelby will be your buddy guide..she'll show you around. Classes start today..I guess you can just take today off to unpack and stuff..Shelby you can also. Any questions? Good, class starts in 10 minutes."  
  
Nicole looked around. Everyone was filing out. The blonde that Peter mentioned as Shelby walked over to her.  
  
"Hey. I'm Shelby Merrick. This is the lounge, as you probably guessed. Where are you from?"  
  
"Uh..Ottawa. In Canada."   
  
"Really? That must have been a long flight." Nicole decided Shelby was nice enough.   
  
"Ya, but it was pretty entertaining. This guy who was sitting across from me, he had a pet ferret hidden in his bag right..."  
  
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It was after dinner, and Auggie was sitting in the lounge, waiting for Juliette. He had broken the news to everyone..except Juliette. All of the others had taken it pretty badly. Scott nearly yelled at him, and the others just sat there staring at him. After all that, Auggie was pretty tired and short tempered. Then, he imagined Juliette's response. He expected her to cry and fall into his arms. He would hug her and comfort her, and everything would be alright. Auggie was wondering how to break it to her, when she bounced in with a huge smile and sat next to him.  
  
"Hey there handsome! What was it you wanted to talk to me about?" Auggie took a deep breath, and looked at Juliette.  
  
" Jules..I have something to tell you. I..I decided to go back home." Juliette looked shocked. "No, no. Not for forever. Just until the worst has passed for my dad. I miss him alot Twig. I love you, but he really needs me now. I'll probably be back mid December or early January." Auggie looked at her. He expected to see her crying at least. But she wasn't she was..almost smiling.   
  
"Oh, Auggie..that's cool. That's fine with me. At least you'll be back" She looked happy that he was leaving. Right then, his temper snapped.  
  
"ITS FINE? OH YA, TWIG, ITS FINE WITH YOU. YOU WON'T BE MISSING ME AT ALL. THAT'S FINE WITH ME. ITS COOL WITH ME. SEE YOU LATER!" Auggie yelled at Jules, who looked close to tears. Everyone had stopped talking and looked at them. Auggie stalked out of the room. Juliette didn't even call after him which bugged him more. He ran to the cabin which was thankfully empty. He didn't want to see Juliette again that night. A tear ran down Juliette's cheek.  
  
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After Auggie yelled at Juliette, everything went back to normal. Shelby and Nicole were sitting on a couch at the lounge, and talking about just stuff. Scott came in, and sat beside Shelby. Shelby gave him a small smile and a hello, then went back to her conversation. Nicole was like her long lost sister. Nicole couldn't replace Jess, but she understood Shelby better in some ways because they were the same age. Scott tried to talk to Shelby.  
  
"Shelby, do-"   
  
"Really? I have one too!" Shelby completely ignored him.  
  
Scott tried a couple more times to get Shelby's attention, but she just ignored him. Scott just walked out after this. Shelby wasn't like this before Nicole came. This was all Nicole's fault.  
  
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How do you like it? I tried to put everything that you guys wanted..more s/s in next chapter! r/r! 


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: same thing: don't own any of the characters except Nicole.  
  
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Shelby was talking with Nicole in the lounge. She usually wasn't a much of a fan of newbies, but Nicole was an exception. Nicole was like another Juliette-all preppy, and happy. Shelby at first wasn't too happy that she had to buddy her, but it changed all during the day. Now, Shelby was glad she approached the nervous looking girl at first. This is how their day went.  
  
"Hey. I'm Shelby Merrick. This is the lounge, as you probably guessed. Where are you from?"  
  
For now, Shelby's motto was be nice to the newbie.   
  
"Uh..Ottawa. In Canada."   
  
"Really? That must have been a long flight."   
  
Be nice to the newbie. Be nice to the newbie.  
  
"Ya, but it was pretty entertaining. This guy who was sitting across from me, he had a pet ferret hidden in his bag right..."   
  
Oh, my god, Shelby thought. I am going to need a lot of self control to be nice to this Juliette twin. I'm getting so annoyed by this perky newbie. Perky and Queenie. What great roomates I have. It is going to be one friggin long day.  
  
When Shelby and Nicole got to their cabin, Shelby showed Nicole her bed.   
  
"This is your bed. There's the washroom. You can put your clothes over there. Done the tour of the cabin now?"  
  
Shelby couldn't help it but to be cold to Nicole. She reminded her so much of Juliette with her perkiness. Plus, it wasn't in her blood to be nice to new people. Nicole looked a little hurt at Shelby's tone. Shelby remembered her motto, and tried to strike up a conversation.  
  
"Uh ya..why are you here?" Nicole's head snapped up in confusion. "I mean, people come here because they are messed up. Drugs, abuse. What's your story?" Nicole hesitated. "They're going to make you talk anyways. Want to know my story? I did drugs and I did prostitution. " Nicole looked scared. Shelby prodded her more. "Are you scared of telling me? Come on, don't be a wimp." Nicole took a breath, then let it all out.  
  
"Uh..well..I did drugs..and hung out with..I guess the wrong crowd. I didn't fit in with others because I was asian. I turned to drugs heavily starting of high school. One day..I don't know where I got it, but I had a gun. One time, I overdosed, and I saw all these demons. I got the gun, and starting shooting at them. At that time I didn't know, but I almost shot my friends. I missed by an inch. The judge sentenced me to 30 days juvenile hall, then he sent me here."   
  
Nicole shivered, and looked away. Shelby suddenly felt bad. She studied Nicole for a second. She was pretty, but the fact that the kids at school picked on her just because she was asian made Shelby mad. Nicole probably had held all that inside for a while. Shelby hesistated, and spoke carefully.  
  
"I'm..sorry. I'm sorry I pressured you to say all that. You probably held a lot in for a while." Nicole nodded, and tears fell. Shelby went over to her, and gave Nicole a hug. This girl probably went through a lot too, she thought. Almost as much as me.   
  
After that, the two had an understanding. Shelby understood Nicole a lot after her story. Nicole was perky to hide her past, so that no one would know. After the two got talking on just stuff, they found that the two had a lot in common. They both had sisters who they loved to death, was both a gemini, liked the color navy blue, and hated school. Even after they Shelby and Nicole weren't best friends though, they were just like sisters.  
  
When Scott came to talk with Shelby at the lounge, Shelby was with Nicole. Scott tried to talk with Shelby, but Shelby was wrapped up in a really interesting conversation with Nicole. Shelby sort of felt sorry towards Scott afterwards. She introduced Nicole to Juliette, and left to find Scott.  
  
Shelby found Scott sitting outside alone. She sat beside him, and said a small hello. He didn't look at her but returned the greeting. Shelby took a small breath, and started to talk.  
  
"Scott..I'm sorry I ignored you. It was that..I don't know..Nicole's different. She's like a Juliette, but she understands me really well." Scott looked at Shelby and waited for her to continue. "Scott, I'll explain everything afterwards. Meet at the docks same place and time tonight. Okay?" Scott nodded, and Shelby gave him a quick kiss. "I love you Scott, and there's nothing that would part me from you. Understand?" With that, she got up and left.  
  
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That night, Shelby was at the docks, and waiting for Scott. When Scott came, she gave him a kiss. Scott waited patiently for Shelby to start. Shelby told him all about Nicole's past, and their understanding.  
  
"Scott..she's really nice. We both have a lot in common, and she's just like a sister. She can never replace Jess, but we both went through a lot, and we just understand each other really well. I'm so sorry.." Right there, Scott cut her off.  
  
"Shel, love means you never have to say sorry. Also, did I tell you you talk too much?" Shelby smiled at Scott and gave him a hug. Scott drew her closer and the two kissed for a long time. When they finished, they stayed in each other's arms and remained there, looking at the stars.  
  
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Meanwhile, Juliette wasn't handling things too well. She missed Auggie so much, and he was leaving in a few day's time. After Auggie yelled at her, she sat there, numb. No one talked to her until Shelby left her with Nicole. Nicole was nice, but Juliette couldn't concentrate on anything. She excused herself and went to bed early. The cabin was empty, and when Juliette was washing her face, she saw her razor. She took it in her hands, and ran her fingers over the razor. It was so tempting, and she was so hurting. Juliette took a deep breath, and...  
  
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Auggie had curled up under the covers. After his temper had died down, he had felt sorry for yelling at Juliette. She had done nothing wrong. He was supposed to leave in a couple of days. Auggie decided to make up with Juliette the next day. But...doubts began to run through his mind. I'm just the home boy, and she's the beautiful prom queen. She's never going to forgive me. What if she hates me already? What if she never speaks to me now? A tear ran down Auggie's cheek and dampened his pillow.  
  
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What's going to happen between Juliette n Auggie? Read and find out~ r/r plz! luv you all, hwy 417* 


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer:Usual, don't own anyone except Nicole oh ya, don't own linkin park either  
  
I know last chapter wasn't the best..its been hard to keep up with school and all, but here's chapter 5!   
  
***THE LAST CHAPTER!!!***  
  
****PLZPLZPLZ REVIEW!!!****  
  
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Juliette ran her fingers over the razor. It was so easy, she could just cut herself, and the pain would be less. She took a deep breath, and was about to cut herself, when something stopped her. There was no one with her, yet it was like someone was holding her hand back from cutting herself. Juliette struggled for a moment, then dropped the razor. Juliette flopped down against the wall, and the tears started to come. One, two, then all of a sudden, a whole sob came tearing up her throat. She sat there, crying for what seemed to be ages, then she heard Daisy's voice.   
  
  
  
"Juliette? Oh my gosh, Juliette!" Suddenly, there was Daisy hugging her, and Juliette cried and cried into Daisy's hair, while Daisy said soothing things to her.  
  
The next morning, Auggie wasn't doing too well either. He had a rough night, and when he woke up, his stomach felt like there was a ton of lead in there. He groaned, and looked over at the clock. 6 A.M. Great, he thought. Another day has started. But this time, I don't have Juliette.   
  
Auggie looked around. The guys were still sleeping. Scott's shoes were pretty muddy. Auggie guessed that he was out with Shelby that night. With grumble, Auggie got up. At least he would be the first to the showers.   
  
  
  
At breakfast, Auggie looked around. Juliette wasn't there. He took a seat where he'd have a clear view of the door where he'd see Juliette come in. The seat was next to Nicole, the new girl. She had earphones on. With a hi, he took his seat. Nicole took off her headphones, and started to talk.  
  
"Hey..you're Augusto, right?" Nicole hesitated. The guy looked tired. She wondered why he yelled at Juliette last night.  
  
"Uh, ya. You can call me Auggie though. Um, have you seen Juliette today?"   
  
"Ya. She's in my cabin, but I left before her."   
  
Auggie looked around to see if maybe she was sitting at another table. No such luck. Nicole put back on her headphones, and pressed play, but the batteries were out.   
  
"Damn it. Stupid batteries are out. Guess I can't listen to Linkin Park now." Auggie turned around.  
  
"You like Linkin Park?"   
  
"Ya! They're my favorite!" Nicole took off her headphones and smiled at him. She really wanted to make friends with all the Cliffhangers.  
  
As the two talked about Linkin Park, Juliette came in. She saw Auggie and Nicole talking and laughing. She felt angry for a moment, then hurt. He hates me. Nicole's so pretty. Auggie's probably going to ask her out any moment. Just then, Auggie saw her. He ran up to her, but Juliette turned away, and ran off. Auggie felt so hurt, and right there, he felt like crying. She hates me. She hates me.  
  
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That night, Auggie was sitting in a chair in front of the fireplace, just staring into the fire. There was nothing particular in his mind when Daisy sat down beside him. Auggie looked up, and gave her a feeble hello.  
  
"Auggie, you've got to make up with Juliette." Auggie looked at her sadly.  
  
"I wish I could. She..hates me. Today, I saw her in the dining hall and ran up to her, but she ignored me. She ran off. She hates me. I wish I could erase yesterday evening."   
  
"No, no! Auggie she loves you so much. She misses you a lot. Yesterday night..I saw her crying on the bathroom floor." Auggie looked at Daisy, startled. Daisy told him the whole story, and Auggie sat upright.   
  
"I guess you're right. But how? Daisy..I don't know how. I want it to be special."  
  
"Auggie, when are you leaving?"   
  
"Thursday..that's 2 days from now. I'm busy though on Thursday, so I basically only have tommorow."   
  
"Don't worry. That's what I thought. Listen, I have a really good idea." Daisy told her idea to Auggie. After she finished, Auggie's eyes were big.  
  
"Wow. I'd never have thought that Ms. Morbid would've thought of something like that. Did you do it for me?"   
  
"Nope. For both of you. But the chances of it really happening are really slim, and it might rain, so I think you may have to re-think it." Auggie laughed, the first time since last night.  
  
"That sounds like the Daisy we know. Its okay, the plan's perfect. Thanks a bunch, Dais." He gave Daisy a hug, then left. He had a lot to do.  
  
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The next day, Auggie's plan was ready. He ran it over and over, and it seemed perfect. Sophie and Peter had approved, and as long as it didn't rain, he was alright.  
  
Shelby approached Juliette after class. "Hey Queenie." Juliette looked up. "We're all going to go outside and stargaze after dinner at the docks. Everyone's supposed to come. 8 pm sharp. Be there." Shelby walked past Juliette, and went on. Juliette looked after her. Something was strange, but she couldn't pinpoint it.  
  
Before dinner, the girls went into their cabins to change. It was an unsually hot summer, and everyone was sticky. Juliette was about to change into a navy blue t-shirt and blue shorts, when Shelby and Nicole stopped her.  
  
"No, don't wear that, Juliette. Wear something nicer." Juliette stared at the normally quiet girl. She was the one that Auggie probably likes. Why bother listening to her? Juliette was about to change, when Shelby said something too.  
  
"Juliette, listen to her. Wear something prettier. Like that blue shirt you have that has ribbons on the shoulders and that navy skirt." Shelby went over to her closet, and looked through her stuff. Normally, Juliette would've stopped her, but she just stood there. It was all too weird, Shelby acting like this.  
  
When Juliette arrived at the dining hall, she felt out of place. She had on a jean skirt with the blue shirt Shelby had mentioned. She sat beside Daisy, and started eating. Everyone was acting strange. She felt out of place. Daisy ate quickly, and stood up.  
  
"Ugh, same old rubbery Horizon food. Juliette, don't forget the stargazing thing."  
  
"It's almost 8. Can you wait for me?"   
  
"Sorry Jules. I have to do something before I go. See you then!" Juliette asked all the other Cliffhangers, but they all had stuff to do before they went. Juliette sighed, and went outside.   
  
It was a cool night, and the stars were shining brightly. She walked towards the docks. There was only one person there. It was....Auggie. Juliette was about to turn around, but then something made her go up. Auggie turned around. His breath caught in his throat. She was beautiful.  
  
"Hey Twig..how are you today?" Auggie felt so small, but he had to do this.  
  
"Um..I'm fine. How about you?" She tried to act normal, but tears started to form in her eyes. She missed him so much.  
  
"Jules..to tell you the truth, I haven't been alright since I blew up at you. I'm so sorry about that. I really am. I don't blame you if you hate me. I wouldn't care if you just left our relationship where it is, and we can just for-" Juliette cut off Auggie.  
  
"Auggie..don't worry. I love you. I missed you so much. Augusto, I couldn't imagine life without you. I'm so sorry." Juliette stepped closer towards him  
  
"What's there to be sorry about? I'm the one to say sorry." Auggie stepped closer towards her.  
  
"Oh, Auggie!" With that, Juliette flung herself into his arms. It felt so good to be near him, in his presence. Auggie pulled back a bit, and looked into her eyes, then gently kissed her.   
  
After the kiss ended, Auggie lead her to the table he had prepared. He took out a match, and lit the candles. Juliette gasped. There was a table set up, with a tablecloth over it. There were romantic candles, with a bottle of juice, and ice cream.  
  
"Auggie, where'd you get all this?" Juliette asked him, as he pulled out a chair for her.  
  
"Peter and Sophie helped. No questions now, maybe I'll answer them later."  
  
"Where's the others? Aren't we supposed to stargaze or something?" Auggie laughed softly.  
  
"No, Twig. Haven't you guessed? It was all to get you out to here. Peter and Sophie allowed us to stay out until 11:30, so don't waste any time. I want to savor all the last minutes with you." Juliette smiled at him. He was so wonderful to her. She loved him so much.  
  
After they finished the ice cream, they sat down at the dock, in each other's arms, looking up at the stars. There turned out to be a meteor shower that night. Laughing softly, Jules and Auggie remembered the happy times of the morp. They whispered soft things in each other's ear. She gave him strength that he would need later on, strength that he would hopefully be able to pass on to his father.  
  
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FINISHED!! YAY thanks to all the faithful fans who reviewed this story. I may write an epilogue, depending on the number of reviews I get. SO R/R if you want to see an epilogue!!! 


	6. Epilogue

Disclaimer: same thing, don't own anyone except Nicole.  
  
Well here it is-the epilogue. I just got a really good idea so ya. Here it is! Big hugs and thanx to all the faithful fans~^-^ luv you all! hwy417*  
  
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"Okay, Cliffhangers. This is going to be one of your last outdoor things for this year. It's too cold to do anything outside after this." Everyone groaned. Couldn't Peter just not make them do the "assignment"? It was -10 degrees outside.   
  
"Peter! Can't we just do something inside? Its way too cold!" David whined.   
  
"Put on your jackets then. I don't care if you take your blanket outside with you. Do whatever to keep warm." Peter looked around sternly at all of them. "The assignment for today, is to just reflect on how far you came from your years at Horizon. You're going to face the real world in a couple of months, and you need to reflect on yourself, so that you don't return to your habits."  
  
All the Cliffhangers grumbled, except for one. Juliette. She was calm and at peace these days. It was November, the month she had been waiting for for the last few months.   
  
When everyone got outside, Peter gave them one final instruction. "You're going to be out here for a while. 2 hours may seem very long, but I think it will give you plenty of time to reflect. Everyone has water?" They all nodded. "Good. Go and find a peaceful place to think and reflect." The Cliffhangers set out, all their own ways.  
  
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The car ride was long and boring. Auggie couldn't realize that he was going back again, to his home away from home. His father's operation had gone fine, and the doctors said he had a 100% chance of living. At this, there was much celebration and lots of food. Auggie smiled. It was an awesome memory.  
  
"Augusto, just 10 more minutes. Then we arrive at Horizon." Auggie sat up at this. He was so happy to go back. His return time was scheduled for next week, but his father had insisted that Auggie went back sooner.  
  
"Augusto, go back to Horizon." His voice was quiet, but peaceful. "I thank you for how much support you gave to me while I was in the hospital. I want to make it up to you. Go a week early. I know that your bonita's waiting for you." At the last thing, his father had smiled a sly smile. Auggie had laughed. His father was an awesome guy.  
  
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Juliette sat under a tree where she was sheltered from the wind. It was where she usually came for stuff like this Peter assigned. Auggie had come to visit sometimes, for a kiss or two. Juliette smiled. The memories were so sweet.   
  
As she wrote in her journal, she heard rustling coming from behind. She peeked around the tree, and saw Shelby and Scott a few feet away, making out. Oh, god. Can't they get a room somewhere else? Juliette got up. It was times like these that she missed Auggie the most. Ezra and Daisy had finally admitted that they liked each other, and the two were a couple now. Shelby and Scott were obvious. Nicole was going out with a guy named Jeremy from the Trailblazers, and David was just...David, chasing after girls.  
  
Juliette sat up, and moved to another place where it was more private-Auggie's special place. He would usually have been there. She thought about her years at Horizon. Before Horizon, she was so...clueless. So out of control. Her mother held the reins. Now Juliette got them back and was her own person. If her mother had it her way, Auggie would have been totally out of the question. Auggie was...Juliette sighed. He was due back in another week. She could wait that long. Lately, all she had been thinking of was him.   
  
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Auggie met Peter and Sophie, and smiled at their dismay. Lately, he had been smiling a lot. Peter and Sophie told him that the rest of the Cliffhangers were outside on an "assignment".  
  
"Auggie, you can just wait here. Its about an hour until they come back."  
  
"Um, Peter? Can I just do the assignment too? I need some quiet time to think..." He trailed off waiting for his answer. When he saw the nod, he quickly gathered stuff he would need. "Can I leave my stuff here for now? I don't feel like bringing it all the way up to my cabin."  
  
"Tell you what, Aug. I'll bring it up to your cabin for you. I need some fresh air." Auggie thanked Peter, as he picked up the duffel bags, and left. Auggie went outside and started walking.  
  
Auggie knew where Juliette would be. Under that tree, where they shared a couple of kisses on these assignments. He smiled. They were really great memories. When he got there, Juliette wasn't there, but Scott and Shelby were. Auggie said a quick hello, and left them.  
  
When he went all around to the places that Juliette may have been, and failed at finding her, he went to his special place. It was on a bunch of rocks, and a great sketching place. When he got there, he noticed a pretty brunette sitting there, writing in her journal. A smile spread from ear to ear on his face. He should have known. He crouched down, and moved quietly. She didn't suspect a thing.   
  
Auggie was right behind her, and she still didn't know. Juliette was busy writing something down in her journal. Joy came up him at seeing her, and he just hugged her from behind. Juliette screamed, then Auggie turned her around. Her scream of fright turned quickly into a smile, then she gave him a huge bear hug.   
  
"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh! When did you come back? How's your dad? Why didn't you tell me that you were coming back sooner? Oh my gosh! How did you know-" Auggie cut her off by placing a finger over her lips.  
  
"Twig, you talk too much!" He complained sarcasticly, and kissed her gently. She kissed back. Juliette missed him a lot.  
  
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After an hour of just talking, the two returned to the lodge to find that everyone else had come back. Auggie got a warm welcome from everyone, especially David, who hinted at an "initiation" at him coming back. Auggie and Jules smiled at each other. This was one of the best days of their lives.  
  
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Yup yup..this is the real end. The end end. Lol. just r/r and tell me what you thought of this story, so that I might post some more up later. luv ya all~ 


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